Mandatory gov't support for children with autism pushed in House

A bill providing mandatory government financial support to the private sector and non-government organizations for a comprehensive assistance for children diagnosed with autism, as well as their families and carers has been filed in the House of Representatives.

Quezon City Fifth District Rep. PM Vargas made the proposal under his House Bill 3771 or the Autism Assistance Act to institutionalize a comprehensive support system for Filipinos diagnosed with autism.

Under the proposal, the government grants to non-governmental organizations and local service providers will be allocated for the Teach the Teachers program –a specialized program to train health and education professionals in the provinces on the latest biomedical interventions, nutritional impacts on behavior, and speech therapies.

“Every Filipino deserves to be treated and served well, much more those who need our support and protection,” Vargas said in a statement.

“Autism remains a developmental disability that is not yet fully understood in our country, and it is the government’s duty to ensure that these families do not struggle alone,” he added.

Aside from the Teach the Teachers program, the bill mandates the secretary of Health to establish the Global Autism Assistance Program.

Vargas lamented that current laws have significant gaps in terms of caring for children diagnosed with autism, leaving many families ill-equipped to handle the needs of children and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

He cited figures from advocates and other cause-oriented groups which estimate that 3 to 6 out of every 1,000 children have ASD. This means that nationally, it is estimated that one out of every 500 Filipinos—or approximately 200,000 individuals—are diagnosed with autism.

“Lahat ng Pilipino ay may karapatang mabuhay nang may dignidad at inaalagaan ng pamahalaan. By partnering with NGOs and the private sector, we can ensure that help reaches those who truly need it,” Vargas concluded.

(Every Filipino has the right to live with dignity and be taken care of by the government.)

The measure is currently pending in the House of Representatives. Once enacted into law, the appropriations for its continuous operation will be included in the annual budget of the Department of Health. —AOL, GMA News